Hole-digging implement.



UNITED STATES, PATENT orrion.

ANDREW J. CRAVEN, orsrrwcnrmn, ALABAMA.

norfimreerne IMPLEMENT.

To all whom it may concern Be it. known that I, ANDREW J. Craven,

citizen of the United States of America,

residing at Spruce Pine, in the county of Franklin and State of Alabama, have in- .Vented certain new and useful Improvements in Hole-Digging Implements, "of which-the following is a specification.

,Myinvention relates to a device operating on the principle of post-hole diggers but which is particularly adapted for use with 'a rope or cable in digging wells. There is need in this art for an implement which can be handled by a rope or cable so that a person digging .a well can handle it from the surface of the ground and be free from the danger of gas in the well;

v them.

One object of the device is to provide a movable weight controlled means for setangers" shovel blades in position to drop point downward when the implement is lowered.

.A further object is'to arrange 'means so that'when the ,implement is raised the shovel bladeswill be forced together to hold and liftthe. loosened mass of earth betweenv A; further objectof the invention is-to connect the supporting rope or :cable to the implement so thatwhile the latter is being the well, the-weight is left free to move the shovels to their "open position and drive them by-its inertia into the ground, and when the implement is ready to be'raised thepnll of the rope or cable is automatically applied to force the shovels together and hold them in that position until "ready to be dumped.

- to the accompanying drawings,

jMy inventlon also comprises the details of. construction and arrangements of parts which are hereinafter more particularly "described and claimed, reference being had Figure'l is aside elevation of my well digger shown with itsparts in the position assumed when being dropped into the well, Figlil is a similar View showing the -posi-.

of 1 parts when the implement is being drawn out of the well with its loadrof Fig. 3 is an enlarged bottom vi w dirt. of Fig. 1; 7

Similar reference numerals refer to simi-r "lajr parts throughoutfthe drawings.

According to the preferred embodiment Specification of Letters Patent.

with an eye l i. which stands substantially in which I Patented Dec. 23, 1913. 9 Application filed May 28, 1913. Serial No.- 770,458.

pointed shovels 1 and 2, which. converge" l froiiitlieir semi-circular top portions down to a bottom point adapted to dig into the iearth The tops of the shovels are faced oppositely and lapped at their sido'cdges and the lapped portions are pivoted to "the ends ofa heavy cross bar 3.. The outer-ends? axes 4, the outer ends of which are prefer ably riveted over as shown in Fig; 3 to hold the shovels agamst disengagement the1e1-- from, but other means may beprovidcdfor holding the shovels pivotally connected to the ends 'of bar Each shovel is provided wlt-h anintegral upwardly and in v of the bar are reduced and turned to form/11:

wardly inclined arm 5 and these arms have their ends bent outwardly at 6 to receive a cross connecting pin 7 The crosspin, which connects the arms 5 of the shovel 2 is disposed on .the opposite side of thecross bar from said shovel and is connected to a pair of llnks 8 and 9'1ncl1ned upwardly at an 'acute angle to said arms 5. These links at their upper ends are PIVOl'RllY COIlHQClOCl by cap. screws 10 to a weight 11, which is slidably mounted on a round. metal rod 12. The arms 5 of the bucket 1 are connected by kinks S and 9%, which are inclined in the reverse direction to the linksl), to theop site side of the weight 11."

The rod 12 extends down through a center opening in the weight 11 and also through a center opening .in the-cross bar 8, the rod being shouldered and having its reduced end passed through the bar 3' and riveted to-interlock the rod and bar rigidly together. I At its upper end the rod 12' is bent'at 13 like 'a goose. neck and its upper end is provided overand at an angle to the main body of the rod 12. The operating cable 15- is passeddown through the eye 14' and provided with either screwed in orotherwise connected'to two ends 16gwhich are connectedjto eyes 17 f or formed as part of the weight 11. A hook 1 8 is connected by a shertpieceof a rope or' cable 19 to the main body of the cable", theconnection being made at such a point that,

when the hook is caught inthe eye as 'sho\\'"n';. 111 .F1g. 1, theg mple -nent ssuspended f -romf the cable whdlly' 'byfmearis ofthe hookand the weight flllwill be fr'eeto' fslide down to its lower'position wheifit rests upon a shoal- M 1 10 formed in: '1' -11 v1: 1S'is re-' leased from the eye 14, the pull of the cable is then direct upon-the weight ll-which 1s thereupon raised ofi its'se'at and moves the links, 8, 9, 8 and 9'- and the pairs of arms 5, like lazy tongs, todraw the "shovels 1 and 2 together, causing them to swing onthqir pivots 4 on the cro bar 3 and catch a load of loosened earth between them. The weight 11 is preferably provided with a narii) shoulder that the links 8,. 9, 8 andf9' are connected. Since the op ositely inclined pairs of links are crossed: rovision will have to be made topreyentt e links from 15 rubbing to ether and to this end I space the ends 0 the 'outer links 8"- and 9 from the sides of the portion21 by insertin washers 22, which washers are thicker t an the p when he implement is dropped.

" While I re ard the construction shown as. the preferab e manner ofvconnecting the links to the weight, it is obvious that the 36 links connected to the arms 5'on one side of the cross bar may be connected to the wei ht onjthe same side 'of the cross bar and t at the operation of..,the implement would be hang in verticalosition, means to connect substantial} tha -fiame. i 4 40 In opera on, the hook 18 caught inthe eye 14 and the weight 11 then permittedgto drop down onto its seat 20-and open the shovels to the position shown i i-Fig. 1. The digger is then dropped and when it strikes the hook 18 drops out of engagement 'withthe ye and willha-ng in'a pos tion to pa free? up throu h the eye when a pull 1s exerte onthe ca ble-to raise. the implement. .To facilitete this disengaging .act on on the part of the hook, the eye 14 is disposed so that the cable hangs against its mneig'edg'e, as, seen in Fig. 2, and the hook is so designedand weighted that its hook end standg suh force the shov 'Fthem the loosen jwhich is row bottom shoulder- 21 and it is to. this.

links 8 and 9.. The cap screws 10 pivotally meme t ofthe weights inertiato the shovels the earth atvth e bottom of the well or hole,

nnection described ..will gether toqgr p' between liftedout .of the hole with the implement; Theope'rator then grasps the eye 14 and leases'the pull on the cablew 'ereupon weight drops onto its seat, and the shovels opencautomatically to-discharge their contents. Before lowering the'implement the hook 18 is 'again caught in the eye and the parts again automatically assume'the position shown in Fig. 1. 7

While my invention is peculiarly adapted" for bein pisedand lowered bv cable, It is v obvious t "at it may be operated by hand, the eye 14 serfvin ,-asthe upper hand grip and t e ends o the cable or uivalent means beingiu fto draw the shove s together. so Having thus described my invention, what I claim asnew and desire to secure by Let- .ters Patent, is: r

1. An implement of the character described comprising a rigid metal frame, a 35 pair of depending shovels hinged to said frame and weighted to swing normally to vertical position, arms connected to said shovels, a cable suspension connected to said ."arms and'adapted toswing the bottom ends of the shovels together, and means carried by the cable and adapted to connect to the frame-work of the im lement and relieve the shovels of the pull 0 the cable 'until after the implement has struckthe ground. I

a 2.- In an implement of the character described, a frame com rising a vertical shank a pair of reversely isposed shovels pivoted to said frame and .havin arms projecting, upwardly and beyond t eir pivot points, weightsacting on ,said arms to swing the shovels to open position, means to arrest the opening. movement of the shovels when they 1 p said arms to a ca 1e so that the up pull of the cable will swing the shovels together, and a hook carried by the cable andada ted to engage and-suspend said shank direct y from r the cable as the imp;;ement is dropped, said hook be connected to the cable at a int which wil take the ull of the cable 0 the shovels,-and ,bein a apted to automatically disengage; itself m the shank when the implement strikes the ground and the pull on the cable relaxes. a Y

3. In an ,im lement of the character described, a 'sha' having a cross piece at its I. lower end and a cable guide at its upper end, a cable adapted to pass throu h sai guide,

a movable'weight on'the shan to which the cable is connected shovels ivoted-to said cross piece, pivotally connec ed arms which connect the weightand shovels and are arranged so that the wei ht acts to open the shovels, a seat on said s ank for the. weight which arrests its down travel when the shovels hang vertically, and a hook member connected to the cab e 'and adapted tobe connected with the shank and support ther implement with the; in 1, 80.

absence Y a adapted to pass down throughsaid eye, a

hook connected to the cable and adapted to engage the eye for lowering the implement and being adapted to automatically. disengage itselffroni the eye when the pull onthe cable is relaxed, hinged Weight controlled shovels mounted on the cross piece of the shank, and means connecting the shovels to i the cable, which means will close the shovels together when the pull of the cable is applied thereto, substantially as described.

5. In an implement of the character described, a shank member having a goose neck at its upper end carrying a cable receiving eye, a pair of shovels hingcdto the lower end of the shank and having-cross upwardly inclined arms, reversely crossed links connected to said arms at theirlowen ends, a weight movable on said shank and connected tothe upper ends of said arms, aseat on said shank for the Weight, means to connect the cable to the weight, and a hook member on the cable adapted to be passed through and engage said eye and support the implement on the eable with its weight in its lower position, said hook being adapted to automatically disengage itself from the eye' when the pull of the cable thereon is released and topass up through the eye transferring the pull of the cable to said Weight, substantially as described.

6. In an implement of the character de- .scribed, a shank having a cable guide at its top, a cable from which the implement is suspended, a hook connected to the cable and adapted to engage the upper end of the shank for lowering the implement and being adapted to automatically disengage itscli' from the shank when the pull on the cable is relaxed, hinged veighted shovels mounted on the lower end of the shank, and a connection between the shovels and the cable which clo es the shovels together when the pallet the cable is applied thereto, substantially as described.

7. in an implement of the character de scribed, a frame, shovel blades hinged to the lower end of the frame to hang point down, a cable connected to the blades to close them.

together by en upward pull, a hook loosely connected to said cable at a point above the frame when the cable istaut, and a portion of the frame adapted to be engaged said hook, said hook' being connected to the cable when taut at a point above said portion and being adapted to drop out of engagement with the frame when the cable is relaxed and having its hook portion guarded to pro-- vent accidental reengagement with the frame, substantially as described.

8. In an implement of the character described, a vertical rod; a cross member connected to the bottom of the rod, sco p shaped shovels having their upper corners overlapped and pivoted to the ends of said member, a weight movable on the rod, a projection on. the rod' forming a seat for the weight, comma-lions from weight to shovels to open out the latter, and means connected to both shovels andadapted. to force their iov" -r ends together as and for the purposes described.

In testimony whereof I ailix my signature in presence of two witnesses;

ANDREXV J, CRAVEN. 

